BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM Receiving and Maintaining Your Freedom SHOUT HALLELUJAH! WHENEVER WE DISCOVER AN AREA OF SIN IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE SALVATION IS FORGIVENSS FOR SIN, HEALING FOR THE BODY, AND DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEVIL! Biblical Foundations of Freedom by Dr. Art Mathias is a perfect complement to the seminar, How to Detox Your Thinking. It is impossible to accurately condense any book or seminar, especially BFOF, into a single message. The suggestion is: Buy and read the book and/or come to the seminar in July. Whereas Detox does and excellent job at emphasizing the physical working of the brain and listing thirteen ways to detox your thinking, Mathias BFOF provides a practical way of dealing with negative thoughts and emotions. SIX PRIMARY AREAS OF NEGATIVE THOUGHT Bitterness towards others Self- Bitterness Jealousy and Envy Rejection Fear The Occult Long-term Grief (Another area spoken of in his series of equal importance) Scriptural References that apply to both BFOF and Detox For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed one) 2 Cor 10:4-5 AMP For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you. Phil 4:8-9 AMP You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, -1-
because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. Isa 26:3 AMP THE IMPORTANCE OF FORGIVENESS The Power of Forgiveness: Forgiveness and repentance cast down every imagination, reasoning, and thought that exalts themselves against God. How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of [His] eternal Spirit [His own preexistent divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the [ever] living God? Heb 9:14 AMP I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. Rom 12:1-2 AMP Forgiveness and Repentance Cancel Satan s Legal Rights For if you forgive people their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their trespasses [their reckless and willful sins, leaving them, letting them go, and giving up resentment], neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses. Matt 6:14-15 AMP If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action]. 1 John 1:9 AMP When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him]. Eph 4:26-27 AMP Then his master called him and said to him, You contemptible and wicked attendant! I forgave and cancelled all that [great] debt of yours because you begged me to. And should you not have had pity and mercy on your fellow attendant, as I had pity and mercy on you? And in wrath his master turned him over to the torturers (the jailers), till he should pay all that he owed. So also My heavenly Father will deal with every one of you if you do not freely forgive your brother from your heart his offenses. Matt 18:32-35 AMP Unforgiveness... Is the primary root of bitterness Keeps a record book of wrongs. Reminds us of our faults. Rehashes the past. Projects failure and negative living from yesterday into today. Torments us. Reminds us of how we have hurt others. Reminds us of the times, circumstances, and people involved when we were the victims. is quick to tell us why we should NOT forgive someone. -2-
B I T T E R N E S S Bitterness is a Root Begins with unforgiveness Sends in spirits of resentment retaliation anger hatred violence murder. Roots of bitterness must be dug out one memory at a time. If there is emotional and even physical pain in a memory, there is bitterness. When all negative emotion is gone, peace comes and you can take back the ground from Satan. The Antidote for Bitterness - Forgiveness Forgivess is NOT a feeling Forgiveness is a free will choice. Forgiveness is an act of obedience. Forgiveness sets you free - NOT the perpetrator. Forgiveness is to occur 70 x 7, in other words, continually, as God forgives us. Forgiveness should come the instant the offense occurs. Forgiveness is our Breastplate of Righteousness that covers our past and our Protection against further bitterness. Of Bitterness Go to each memory where there is pain. Forgive those who wounded you. Repent for any sinful response you made to them. Take back from Satan the ground you have given him. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart. Ask the Lord to tell you truth about this situation. SHOUT HALLELUJAH! WHENEVER WE DISCOVER AN AREA OF SIN IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE SALVATION IS FORGIVENSS FOR SIN, HEALING FOR THE BODY, AND DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEVIL! When we apply the cross of Jesus Christ and FORGIVE wherever pain is and REPENT wherever responsibility or conviction is, then The stress cycle is broken because the memory is not revisited and therefore not relived. -3-
Homeostasis returns. Health is restored. S E L F - B I T T E R N E S S Self-bitterness is Any way that we put ourselves down. Any memory that has shame, guilt, regret or sorrow. Any way that we curse ourselves and thereby curse God Because we are created in His image. We accuse God of making junk. Any way that we disagree with what God has said about us in His Word. Fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 39:14 Apple of His eye. Zechariah 2:8 Engraved us on His palms. Isaiah 49:6 Jesus died for us. John 15:13 Created in His image. Genesis 1:27 Perfectionism is a form of self-hatred! Of Self-Bitterness Make a list of all the bitterness you have against yourself. Confess and Repent before God for believing the lies of the devil. Take back from Satan the ground you have given him. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart. Ask the Lord to tell you truth about this situation. Believing the lies of the devil is calling God a liar. J E A L O U S Y AND E N V Y Jealousy: full of envy, grudging, resentful or suspicious, discontented at another s good fortune. Entry points for jealousy and envy are Competition - I don t really care what the other person has, I just want to have more. Comparison - I m better than they are! or more commonly, They are better than I am. When we compare, we create dissatisfaction with our spouse, our looks, our job, our gifts and talents, our job, our church,etc. We will always loose if we compare! -4-
SHOUT HALLELUJAH! WHENEVER WE DISCOVER AN AREA OF SIN IN OUR LIVES BECAUSE SALVATION IS FORGIVENSS FOR SIN, HEALING FOR THE BODY, AND DELIVERANCE FROM THE DEVIL! R E J E C T I O N Definition: To cast off, rebuff, repulse, throw away as useless or unsatisfactory. To put aside or disapprove. Rejection is the most devastating of all human emotions. tells us we are unwanted, refused, not accepted, unloved, unworthy, not a part of the group and never will be no matter what we do. drives us to pick a fight, reject love and into irrational self-introspection. The sin of rejection involved in IDOLATRY. When we make winning man s approval our god, we are in idolatry. If my well-being is based on what someone thinks about me, I have made them an idol. Have you ever been rejected? Born or conceived out of wedlock? Were you wanted? An unplanned accident? Were you the wrong gender? Divorce? Adopted? Looks? Abuse physical, words, sexual? Absentee father? By choice or not. Drugs or alcohol? SOME SOURCES OF REJECTION From Rejection Forgive those who wounded you. Repent for looking to man for your identity and worth. Take back from Satan the ground you have given him. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart. Ask the Lord to tell you truth about this situation. -5-
F E A R Webster s Definitions of Fear: Emotion of feeling afraid, feeling danger, uneasy or anxious Synonyms: worried, stressed, anxious Fear can be a warning. Fear of God is reverence for God. GOD S DEFINITION OF FEAR : Greek: Phoebo - afraid, alarmed, fearful or Greek: Deilos - to be fearful is to be faithless. Fear is the opposite of faith. This kind of fear is sin. Faith and fear are equal. One will always replace the other. Where is your focus? God or fear? Where is your trust? God or the bad report? Recognition that fear is sin allows us to be able to use repentance and forgiveness to be set free!! From Fear Make a list of specific fears that you have allowed into your life. Repent! Ask God to forgive you for each fear that you have allowed into your life. Forgive yourself for allowing fear in. Command each fear to go in the name of Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart. Ask the Lord to tell you the truth about each situation/memory. O C C U L T I S M Webster s Definition: Claiming use or knowledge of the supernatural. Secret, hidden from view. To hide, cover up or conceal. God s Definition: Any belief or practice that comes between God and us. -6-
Some Occult Practices* Anything that comes False religions between God and us Astral Projection Chakras White Witchcraft Iridology Fortune Telling Taro Cards Water witching Unbelief Masonic Lodge Ouiji *Many, many other occult practices listed in Biblical Foundations of Freedom. From the Occult Ask God to forgive you for each thing that you have allowed to come between you and Him. Forgive those who may have introduced you to this practice or belief. Take back from Satan the ground you have given him. Ask the Holy Spirit to heal your heart. Ask the Lord to tell you truth about this situation. Another negative emotion that may need to be prayed through is extreme and extended grief or sorrow. Claim the promise of the Lord carrying our griefs and our sorrows and, using the Wellspring Prayer, pray through every loss or situation of grief and sadness that has been carried by you for too long. -7-